1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a component jointing apparatus used to joint components together and a joint structure formed of a plurality of components.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disc drive (HDD) that is used to record in or read data from a rotating disc has a disc drive suspension that is attached to the distal end portion of an actuator arm. A head portion that includes a slider is mounted on the distal end portion of the suspension. When the disc rotates, the slider slightly lifts above the disc surface, whereupon an air bearing is formed between the disc and the slider.
The disc drive suspension comprises a load beam, a baseplate provided on the basal part of the load beam, a flexure fixedly lapped on the load beam, etc. The slider is attached to the distal end of the flexure. Further, a hinge member is located between the load beam and the baseplate.
As is described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-155458, for example, the disc drive suspension is formed by jointing together a plurality of platelike components, such as the load beam, baseplate, flexure, etc. These components are fixed to one another by spot welding or the like.
Improvement of the response (seek time) of the disc drive requires a disc drive suspension having high stiffness and high natural frequency. With the spread of portable computers, the shock resistance of the disc drive has become an important factor.
In order to enhance the shock resistance of the disc drive suspension or increase the natural frequency, it is effective to reduce the weight of the suspension without lowering its stiffness. To attain this, the components (load beam, baseplate, hinge member, etc.) that constitute the suspension should be formed of materials that suit their respective functions.
In some cases, therefore, the components are expected to be formed of any other materials than metal, cladding materials, or unweldable materials. In general, components of a disc drive suspension are jointed together by laser welding. Depending on the materials of the components, however, laser welding cannot be applied to the jointing.
A proposal has been made to joint the components with an adhesive agent instead of welding them. For example, the components may be jointed with an ultraviolet-curing adhesive agent or thermosetting adhesive agent.
In order to cure the ultraviolet-curing adhesive agent, however, the components should be partially formed having holes through which light passes. Inevitably, therefore, the shape of the components is complicated, and their stiffness is lowered.
If the thermosetting adhesive agent is used, the components should be positioned with respect to one another by means of a jig after the adhesive agent is supplied to those regions of the components to be jointed. Further, the components should be heated in a heating oven for a long time. Since the next process cannot be started while this heating process is being carried out, the operating efficiency is not high enough.
Conventionally, an apparatus for welding and an apparatus for setting the adhesive agent are provided separately. Thus, separate apparatuses must be used to carry out a welding process and a bonding process for a work that has a bonded part to be bonded with the adhesive agent and spot-welded joints in a mixed fashion. In consequence, the processes are complicated and time-consuming.